A Shoe for One Season: Espadrilles

If I had to name an official summer shoe, it would definitely be the espadrille. There are several styles of footwear that can swing all seasons; you can wear boots in the summer and sandals in the fall, and of course sneakers. Unfortunately, but the espadrille is one shoe you just can’t get away with wearing anytime other than the summer.

I don’t dislike this shoe, but I confess I haven’t owned a pair of espadrilles since junior high, when I was having my preppy moment. I did the whole range; it started out with the plain flat espadrilles, then flat espadrilles with the ties that went up your leg, and then I moved on to wedges.

The odds that I may never indulge in a pair of espadrilles again are pretty high, because I try to work items that can cross over into other seasons. I am, however, very impressed with all of the different styles of espadrilles that are available. This shoe has come a long way from the original flat slipper- like style. Espadrilles, as far as styles are concerned, are no longer simply preppy, flat, and made of canvas.

The styles that are coming down the runway for the warm weather of 2012 are quite stylish, and several big name designers have included espadrilles into their shoe lines and given them a complete facelift. Another twist is guys are jumping on this shoe too. Espadrilles have always been available for men, but usually they are not as hip as they are this year. Ben Sherman is one of the sources you guys should check out if you’re considering adding this shoe to your wardrobe.

This season, you have your choice to go plain or practically over the top embellished. Even the guys have options that have this shoe looking more like a loafer and deck shoe. 2012’s espadrille has been translated into practically every style of shoe; the original canvas has been replaced with other fabrics like denim and eyelet, and high-end textiles like leather and suede. The styles range from flat slippers to high fashion platforms. You can also find boot-like espadrille and sandal styles that range from thongs to gladiator style. Back in the day, “original” espadrilles typically came in basic solid colors, and while you can still find the oldies but goodies, now they are available in every color of the rainbow, along with stripes, prints, color blocking, and sequins.